Must-see restaurants in Portugal

  • Alecrim

    Alto Alentejo

    Alecrim is a fine place for a meal, no matter the time of day. Come at lunchtime for excellent multicourse daily specials (creamy codfish dishes and…

  • Botequim da Mouraria

    Évora

    Poke around the old Moorish quarter to find some of Évora’s finest food and wine – gastronomes believe this is Évora’s culinary shrine. Owner Domingos…

  • Sabores de Monsaraz

    Monsaraz

    Perched high above the plains, with views reaching as far as Spain, this stone-built tavern is a rustic, wonderfully family-friendly spot. Good honest…

  • Gelato Davvero

    Belém

    It's now worth tucking into Centro Cultural de Belém for something other than performances and contemporary art: 22 flavours of Lisbon's best Roman-style…

  • Digby

    Miragaia

    For a special dinner in Miragaia with ringside views of the river, Digby in the flash new Torel Avantgarde hotel comes up trumps. Service is attentive…

  • Petiscaria Ideal

    Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela

    This small, buzzing spot serves delicious petiscos – fava, ham and Serra cheese toast, pork stew with pepper compote, alheira sausage-stuffed portobello…

  • Grand Beach Club

    The Algarve

    At the edge of the Atlantic and Rio Guadiana river mouth, with its own small beach (and a pool), Portugal's most southeasterly restaurant opens to a…

  • Santa Clara dos Cogumelos

    Alfama, Castelo & Graça

    Mushroom fans unite! This Italian-owned, Italian-executed restaurant in the old Campo de Santa Clara market hall is simply magic. The menu devotes proper…

  • Tascö

    Aliados & Bolhão

    Tascö's slick, banquette-lined interior is playfully peppered with personality in the form of a tree-shaped bookcase and a huge blackboard for scrawling…

  • Mó Veggie Bistro

    Aljezur

    A former wheat mill now houses this brilliant split-level bistro with raw timbers, comfy sofas and suspended lighting. All dishes are vegetarian and many…

  • Casa Agrícola

    Boavista

    Abutting a chapel, this beautifully restored, 18th-century rural house is a splash of historic charm in an otherwise modern neighbourhood. The 1st-floor…

  • Taberna dos Mercadores

    Ribeira

    The chefs run a tight ship in the open kitchen at this curvaceous, softly lit, bottle-lined tavern, sizzling, stirring and delivering superb Portuguese…

  • Coyo Taco

    Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela

    Straight outta Miami, where it is reportedly Barack Obama's favourite taqueria, Coyo brings fierce taco authenticity to one of Lisbon's most gourmand…

  • Mercato

    Alto Alentejo

    This lively, cheerfully decorated tavern serves traditional flavours with contemporary verve. Nicely turned out plates of garlic and olive-oil clams, or…

  • Enoteca de Belém

    Belém

    Tucked down a quiet lane just off Belém's main thoroughfare, this casual wine bar serves modernised Portuguese classics (fantastic octopus, Iberian pork),…

  • Luzzo Pizzeria

    Tavira

    Tuti trufi (truffle oil and black-truffle shavings), siffredi (with ventricina spicy sausage, arugula and balsamic) and the house-speciality luzzo …

  • SUD Lisboa Terrazza

    Belém

    This hot riverside newcomer combines nicely with an afternoon visiting the MAAT next door. Upscale Italian is served with occasional Portuguese and Asian…

  • Os Gazeteiros

    Alfama, Castelo & Graça

    French chef David Eyguesier honed his skills at Pois Café, then at his own underground restaurant at home before opening this sorely needed Alfama gem,…

  • All In Porto

    Aliados & Bolhão

    Wine-barrel tables, lanterns and funky Porto murals create a hip, laid-back space for sampling a stellar selection of Portuguese wines and nicely prepared…

  • Antiqvvm

    Massarelos

    What a delight this tucked-away Michelin-starred restaurant is, ensconced in the revamped stone arcades of 19th-century Quinta da Macieirinha. Vítor Matos…

  • Pharmacia

    Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré

    At this wonderfully quirky restaurant in Lisbon's apothecary museum, chef Susana Felicidade (Algarvian grandmother-trained!) dispenses tasting menus and…

  • Colheita Fresca

    The Algarve

    Produce from Loulé's magnificent Mercado Municipal is utilised in petiscos such as ostras (oysters) served with a squeeze of grapefruit, chouriço assado …

  • Mistu

    Miragaia

    The marble bistro tables, Thonet chairs, soft lighting, arched windows and creeping foliage at cool Mistu are redolent of a more graceful age. Two friends…

  • Taberninha Do Manel

    Vila Nova de Gaia

    Superfriendly service, big views across the Douro to Ribeira, and a menu crammed with well-executed Portuguese classics – Iberian pork, petiscos (tapas),…

  • Kasutera

    Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré

    Charming Ingrid has resurrected the 16th-century Portuguese staple of castella – a beautiful sponge cake that Portuguese explorers brought to Japan, where…

  • Salsa Verde

    Évora

    Vegetarians (and Portuguese livestock) will be thankful for this veggie-popping paradise. Pedro, the owner, gives a wonderful twist to traditional…

  • Cantinho do Avillez

    Ribeira

    Rock star chef José Avillez' latest venture is a welcome fixture on Porto's gastro scene. A bright, contemporary bistro with a retro spin, Cantinho keeps…

  • Taberna do Largo

    Ribeira

    Lit by wine-bottle lights, this sweet grocery store, deli and tavern is run with passion by Joana and Sofia. Tour Portugal with your taste buds with their…

  • 100 Maneiras

    Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré

    How do we love 100 Maneiras? Let us count the 100 ways… The 10-course tasting menu changes twice yearly and features imaginative, delicately prepared…

  • BUGO Art Burgers

    Miragaia

    Spilling out onto gallery-lined Rua de Miguel Bombarda, this bright, happening bistro promises to elevate burgers to an art form. It delivers with…

  • O Gaspacho

    Monsaraz

    A small, cheerfully decorated cafe where you can try owner Gabriel's excellent signature gazpacho. It goes well with the creative small plates on hand,…

  • Three Little Birds

    Sagres

    Sagres' coolest cafe makes everything from scratch – tortillas, corn chips and brioche buns included – for its tacos, nachos and burgers (eg piri-piri…

  • Urban Cicle Café

    Boavista

    A hip hang-out in central Boavista, this cycle cafe has bikes dangling from the ceiling and terrific brunches (€14) until 3pm, with omelettes, homemade…

  • ZeroZero

    Parque das Nações

    This location of top pizzeria ZeroZero is a modern, industrial-chic affair. Inside, a massive wall of firewood fuels the wood-burning ovens, which churn…

  • Cruel

    Aliados & Bolhão

    How cruel are you? This is what you’ll be asked at this on-trend restaurant, where the menu is graded according to how adventurous your appetite is: …

  • Tantura

    Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré

    This Middle Eastern godsend started with a love story: Israeli couple Elad Bodenstein and Itamar Eliyahuo fell in love with Portugal on their honeymoon…

  • O Camilo

    Lagos

    Perched above pretty Praia do Camilo, this sophisticated restaurant is renowned for its high-quality seafood dishes. Specialities include razor clams,…

  • Jimão

    Ribeira

    Many of the restaurants on Praça da Ribeira are tourist central, but Jimão is the real deal. Service is genuinely friendly, the upstairs dining room has a…

  • ZeroZero

    Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela

    Just arriving at your table here is a memorable ride, sliding past an enormous illustration from Ana Gil, a beautiful prosecco bar and minimalist copper…

  • Hungry Biker

    Miragaia

    If you – like the husband and wife owners – love to ride your bicycle, this place is a winner. The artsy cafe has an environmentally friendly ethos,…

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